Now in his late forties,
Nicolas
Bacri, studied with Louis Saguer
and later, when barely eighteen, with
Claude Ballif, Marius Constant, Serge
Nigg and Michel Philippot at the CNSM
in Paris. In 1983 he was awarded a
First Prize and, as a result, stayed
at the Villa Médici. During
his stay in Rome, he had the opportunity
to meet and discuss music with Scelsi.
These meetings had some influence
on his music-making. This was mainly
in making him aware of the value of
sound as a thing in itself, although
his music does not resemble Scelsi’s.
Bacri has evidently learned from the
Italian composer but his own music
does not display any similar ascetic
attitude. Bacri’s style might fairly
be described as 20th Century
lingua franca having roots
in the so-called Second Viennese School
as well as in a much wider stylistic
tradition. Interestingly enough, his
Cello Concerto is dedicated to the
memory of Frank Bridge whose Oration
had made a deep impression, and some
of his cantatas (available on L’empreinte
digitale ED 13170) often bring Gerald
Finzi to mind. Incidentally, his Cantata
No.4 Op.44b is inscribed "In
memoriam Gerald Finzi". He has
gathered an impressive number of awards,
and many of his works have gained
worldwide recognition. Some of you
may remember that his compact, though
quite impressive and strongly expressive
Symphony No.6Op.60
(1998) was one of the six finalists
of the 2003 Masterprize. As can be
seen in the above details, he already
has a sizeable and substantial output
including six symphonies, a number
of concertos, seven string quartets
(the String Quartet No.7 "Variations
sérieuses" Op.101
was composed for the 2007 Bordeaux
International String Quartet Competition),
a substantial number of cantatas as
well as a wide variety of chamber
music. I first came to know his music
when I found a second-hand copy of
what I believe to be the first CD
ever entirely devoted to his works:
Et’Cetera KTC 1149 with four concerto-like
works for cello and orchestra – his
Cello Concerto Op.17
– as well as works for viola and orchestra
and violin and orchestra. Incidentally,
this disc was awarded the First Prize
of the Nouvelle Académie du
Disque in 1993. It is still worth
looking out for because it provides
a fair introduction to Bacri’s music.
Similarly, the release under review
allows us an appreciation of Bacri’s
musical progress over the years; the
four string quartets recorded here
were composed between 1985 and 2006.
Curiously enough, though, they are
presented in reverse chronological
order which – to a certain extent
– is misjudged; but this will be about
the only reservation that I will voice
about this release.

The String
Quartet No.3 Op.18, subtitled
Esquisses pour un tombeau,
was composed between 1985 and 1988
and revised in 1989. This short work
in three concise movements played
without break is inscribed "In
memoriam Alexander Zemlinski"
and bears a superscription drawn from
Shakespeare’s The Tempest:
"We are such stuff as dreams
are made on, and our little life is
rounded by a sleep". Incidentally,
RVW once suggested that these words
might fit the Epilogue of his Sixth
Symphony. As already mentioned earlier
in this review, the meetings with
Scelsi had Bacri discovering "the
life of the sound matter"; and
this may be heard throughout the Third
String Quartet although the music
is entirely Bacri’s. In this fairly
early work, faint echoes of Mahler
as well as of the Second Viennese
School’s aesthetics may be heard.
It is more a matter of musical mood
than of style.

The String
Quartet No.4 Op.42, subtitled
Omaggio a Beethoven, is a somewhat
more developed piece with a long and
chequered genesis. It was composed
between 1989 and 1990, revised or
rewritten between 1993 and 1994 and
revised in 1995/6. Much of the music
of the three movements is based on
Beethoven’s Grosse Fugue Op.133
but also harks back to Bartók,
as does much else in his output. Bacri’s
Fourth String Quartet is roughly structured
as a triptych with two slow, elegiac
outer movements framing a more animated
central Toccata that briefly quotes
from Shostakovich’s Fifteenth String
Quartet and makes a passing reference
to Alban Berg’s Lyrische Suite.
However, what might have become a
mere collage in the hands of a lesser
composer results – remarkably enough
– in a magnificent and often gripping
piece of music that needs repeated
hearings to make its full impact.
This remark applies to the piece as
a whole for the Fourth String Quartet
is probably the most complex work
here more on account of its intricate
structure than of the music itself.

The String
Quartet No.5 Op.57 is structured
along more traditional lines: in four
movements with an alert, at times
aggressive Scherzo placed third. The
fourth movement is a fairly developed
Passacaglia ending on a rather sad
tone. The first movement Sonata
opens in a dreamlike mood that contrasts
with a much more energetic second
subject. The slow movement Elegia
in memory of a deceased friend of
the composer is the emotional core
and contains some of the most moving
and beautiful music that Bacri has
ever penned. The Scherzo bursts forth,
almost brutally, from the ominous
silence at the end of the second movement.
For all its contrasting material,
the concluding Passacaglia maintains
an elegiac mood until its dismal coda.

The String
Quartet No.6 Op.97, dedicated
to the Psophos Quartet, is laid-out
in three concise movements in a traditional
structure: a slow movement framed
by quick outer movements. The first
movement opens with a slow introduction
leading straight into the animated
main part. The beautifully lyrical
Adagio molto, that follows without
break, develops material from the
introduction of the first movement.
The work ends with Variazioni alla
fuga, a theme and variations capped
by an assertive coda.

Some time ago, I
most favourably reviewed another disc
of Ohana’s string quartets played
by the Psophos Quartet (Ar Re-Se AR
2004-7). This I found outstanding
throughout. Now, these performances
recorded in the presence of the composer
also splendidly blend highly accomplished
technique and musicality. The vital
readings are superbly recorded and
the production is excellent with detailed
and informative notes by Bernard Fournier.
This very fine release is a must for
all admirers of this endearing composer’s
music. Others will also find much
to admire and enjoy here, for Bacri’s
music always retains a compelling
expressive strength that is hard to
resist.

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